Media call for Al Jazeera journalists' release

1/13/14 10:32 AM EST

Forty-six correspondents who cover Egypt have signed a letter calling on Egyptian authorities to release three Al Jazeera journalists who have been detained there since Dec. 29.

"The arrest of these journalists has cast a cloud over press and media freedom in Egypt," write the top foreign correspondents and editors from CNN, The New York Times, BBC, The Guardian, El Pais, NPR and elsewhere. "We strongly believe that upholding the rights of journalists and permitting the free flow of information is vital to bringing about greater understanding and serves the best interests of all Egyptians and the world."

The network said the arrests are part of a broader campaign Egyptian authorities are waging against Al Jazeera.

"We condemn the allegations directed at our staff by Egyptian authorities which are aiming to stigmatize us, and further incite violence against our journalists working on the ground," Ghassan Abu Hussein, the Al Jazeera Media Network's spokesperson, said in an Al Jazeera article. "This is all part of a larger antagonistic campaign against us."